Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has today announced a $447 million investment in transport for Taranaki that will deliver a safer, better connected and more resilient transport system.
The investment in Taranaki is part of a $24.3 billion programme of investment planned for New Zealand’s land transport system over the next three years, detailed in the 2021–24 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP), published today by Waka Kotahi.
Ngā Kaupapa Huarahi o Aotearoa | 2021–24 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP)
The NLTP comprises $15.6 billion from the National Land Transport Fund, generated through fuel excise, road user charges and other revenue sources; $4.6 billion from local government, generated through rates; and $3.8 million in other Crown investments.
Waka Kotahi Director Regional Relationships, Linda Stewart, says the $447 million investment planned for Taranaki over the next three years marks an increase of 48% from the previous 2018–21 NLTP.
“Improving people’s safety is a top priority for Waka Kotahi and we’ll be investing $94 million across Taranaki during this NLTP to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.
“This includes the Mt Messenger Bypass and other significant improvements on State Highway 3, between Waitara and Bell Block and New Plymouth and Hawera, to improve the safety, reliability and resilience of this key route.
“Heavy vehicles travel more than 75 million kilometres on the region’s roads each year to transport goods to market. Recognising the importance of safe, well maintained roads to Taranaki’s economy, more than $166 million will be invested in maintaining the region’s local roads and state highways.
“Supporting more environmentally-friendly and healthier travel options is also a focus of this NLTP. $13 million will be invested in public transport and $18 million on walking and cycling projects around the region to provide travel choice,” says Ms Stewart.
More than $300,000 will be spent extending the cycleway and creating a safe crossing point on State Highway 45 in Spotswood, particularly for students accessing the local school, and $9 million on the New Plymouth Coastal Walkway, providing 13.2kms of shared path from Port Taranaki to the eastern side of Bell Block Beach.
Investment through the NLTP will contribute to a land transport system for Taranaki that will be safer and easier for people to use, support the safe and efficient movement of freight and keep communities connected.
Full details of the investments being made through the National Land Transport Programme, including detailed regional breakdowns, can be found at www.nzta.govt.nz/nltp
Editors’ notes:
- The 2021–24 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) is a partnership between local government, which invests local funding on behalf of ratepayers, and Waka Kotahi, which invests national funding on behalf of Government through the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF). Funds for the NLTF are collected from petrol excise, road user charges and vehicle registration and licensing fees.
- The $24.3 billion 2021–24 NLTP includes $15.6 billion from the NLTF and $4.6 billion from local government. Government will also invest $3.8 million in additional Crown funding to deliver specific programmes through the NLTP.
- NLTP investments are designed to give effect to the strategic priorities outlined in the Government Policy Statement for land transport (GPS).
- Demand for funding for the 2021–24 NLTP period has been higher than ever before and the Government has provided additional financing of $2 billion that will enable Waka Kotahi to deliver more for New Zealand with its co-investment partners.
